"Mysteries at the Museum" Lost Civilizations: Special

1 00:00:01,620 --> 00:00:04,120 The secret of the city of Atlantis... 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:06,960 ARROW: You have people coming from all over the world 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:10,830 wanting to conduct research and get in on the discovery. 4 00:00:10,830 --> 00:00:13,530 ...an ancient relic rewrites history... 5 00:00:13,530 --> 00:00:15,670 This was something much bigger than anybody 6 00:00:15,670 --> 00:00:17,670 could've imagined at the time. 7 00:00:17,670 --> 00:00:21,370 ...and a lost civilization finally found... 8 00:00:21,370 --> 00:00:23,670 GOFF: Only 30 feet stood between the men 9 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:26,340 and the revelation of a lifetime. 10 00:00:26,350 --> 00:00:28,780 ...these are the mysteries at the museum. 11 00:00:34,350 --> 00:00:36,950 Newport News, Virginia is one of the biggest 12 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,090 ship-building ports in the nation. 13 00:00:40,090 --> 00:00:43,430 Visitors to this busy harbor can also enjoy angling 14 00:00:43,430 --> 00:00:46,260 on the nearby James River 15 00:00:46,270 --> 00:00:50,070 and sailing in the majestic Chesapeake Bay. 16 00:00:50,070 --> 00:00:53,070 And celebrating this city's connection to the water 17 00:00:53,070 --> 00:00:54,370 is The Mariners' Museum. 18 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:00,980 Among the vast array of maritime artifacts 19 00:01:00,980 --> 00:01:03,580 is a unique collection of model ships, 20 00:01:03,580 --> 00:01:07,250 including Viking longboats, 21 00:01:07,250 --> 00:01:10,950 Lord Nelson's flagship, "The Victory," 22 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:12,620 and a Japanese patrol boat 23 00:01:12,620 --> 00:01:14,690 that was sunk during World War II. 24 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,870 But among these historic models is a strikingly original craft. 25 00:01:21,870 --> 00:01:25,900 SAYERS: It's 17 feet long and 2 feet and 4 inches wide. 26 00:01:25,900 --> 00:01:27,740 It's hand-carved from a cypress tree, 27 00:01:27,740 --> 00:01:30,310 and it's over 150 years old. 28 00:01:30,310 --> 00:01:33,380 It is brown in color, and the surface is rough and worn, 29 00:01:33,380 --> 00:01:36,010 showing signs of age. 30 00:01:36,010 --> 00:01:38,880 WILDMAN: This primitive-looking canoe unlocked the secrets 31 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,450 of a legendary lost city. 32 00:01:41,450 --> 00:01:43,490 SAYERS: This dugout canoe was part of a world 33 00:01:43,490 --> 00:01:46,560 that was completely forgotten and misunderstood. 34 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,560 ¶ 35 00:01:51,730 --> 00:01:53,960 WILDMAN: It's the early 2000s. 36 00:01:53,970 --> 00:01:57,400 Straddling the border between southeastern Virginia 37 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:00,200 and North Carolina is a mysterious region 38 00:02:00,210 --> 00:02:03,310 known only as the Great Dismal Swamp. 39 00:02:03,310 --> 00:02:07,940 SAYERS: It's a huge place, and no map and no photo ever conveys that. 40 00:02:07,950 --> 00:02:10,750 Very thick with the trees and the bugs, 41 00:02:10,750 --> 00:02:13,880 there's even rumors of quicksand pockets out there, 42 00:02:13,890 --> 00:02:15,990 and it doesn't feel like woods necessarily. 43 00:02:15,990 --> 00:02:19,460 It doesn't feel like any place I've been familiar with. 44 00:02:19,460 --> 00:02:25,260 WILDMAN: Covering 112,000 acres, it's a vast and hostile environment. 45 00:02:25,260 --> 00:02:29,400 But this uncharted marshland also harbors a strange secret. 46 00:02:31,900 --> 00:02:34,970 For years, rumors have circulated that it was once home 47 00:02:34,970 --> 00:02:38,840 to thousands of runaway slaves known as maroons. 48 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,580 And, according to legend, this community didn't just 49 00:02:41,580 --> 00:02:44,310 survive here, it thrived. 50 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:47,050 SAYERS: The maroons lived in freedom. They built cabins. 51 00:02:47,050 --> 00:02:51,090 They also cleared the land to grow things, grains and rice. 52 00:02:51,090 --> 00:02:54,560 WILDMAN: But whether this city of slaves really existed or is 53 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,300 simply a myth has baffled historians for decades. 54 00:03:02,830 --> 00:03:08,440 In 2004, one man vows to solve the mystery once and for all, 55 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:12,010 a young archaeology student named Dan Sayers. 56 00:03:12,010 --> 00:03:18,110 The idea of maroons or runaways from slavery finding refuge 57 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:19,650 in a huge swamp 58 00:03:19,650 --> 00:03:22,350 just was fascinating, absolutely fascinating. 59 00:03:22,350 --> 00:03:23,750 I was hooked. 60 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,860 No turning back, it was just too powerful. 61 00:03:28,930 --> 00:03:31,800 WILDMAN: So Sayers embarks on a mission into the heart 62 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:33,600 of the Great Dismal Swamp 63 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,270 in search of definitive proof 64 00:03:35,270 --> 00:03:38,840 that a lost city of maroons really did exist. 65 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,200 But as soon as he enters the perilous bog, 66 00:03:41,210 --> 00:03:44,670 it becomes clear it's more difficult 67 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:46,110 than he ever imagined. 68 00:03:48,910 --> 00:03:53,120 The place is crawling with venomous snakes, 69 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,390 swarms of hungry mosquitos 70 00:03:56,390 --> 00:04:00,260 and acre after acre of impenetrable forest. 71 00:04:00,260 --> 00:04:03,960 SAYERS: There I am, an archaeologist with a machete and a backpack, 72 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,730 trying to hack my way through this place, 73 00:04:07,730 --> 00:04:10,530 and it was pretty daunting. 74 00:04:10,540 --> 00:04:14,770 WILDMAN: For months, Sayers wanders aimlessly in the vast mire, 75 00:04:14,770 --> 00:04:17,210 searching for a plot of dry land 76 00:04:17,210 --> 00:04:21,680 that could possibly have hosted the legendary secret city. 77 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:23,350 But his efforts are in vain, 78 00:04:23,350 --> 00:04:26,180 and eventually he starts to lose hope. 79 00:04:26,180 --> 00:04:29,950 But I just didn't know how much more of the swamp I could take. 80 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:31,350 So I started losing faith. 81 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,220 I felt like I was looking for a needle in a haystack, 82 00:04:34,230 --> 00:04:36,590 but wasn't certain at all if the needle was there. 83 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,600 ¶ 84 00:04:43,740 --> 00:04:46,940 WILDMAN: Then a chance meeting changes everything. 85 00:04:46,940 --> 00:04:50,310 Sayers comes upon a biologist who's conducting research. 86 00:04:50,310 --> 00:04:53,540 The biologist asked me if I'd been to the islands 87 00:04:53,550 --> 00:04:55,550 that are in the swamp. 88 00:04:55,550 --> 00:04:57,050 I said, "Islands?" 89 00:04:57,050 --> 00:05:00,520 WILDMAN: The biologist directs him to an obscure landmass set 90 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,820 in the most remote region of the swamp, 91 00:05:03,820 --> 00:05:07,490 a 20-acre island Sayers had completely missed. 92 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,000 SAYERS: Here I am, looking for half-acre sites, 93 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,630 little quarter-acre hills out in the swamp, 94 00:05:15,630 --> 00:05:17,000 and here are these 20, 30, 95 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,270 40-acre behemoth landforms sitting right there. 96 00:05:21,270 --> 00:05:24,310 WILDMAN: The dry, flat land would've been the perfect place 97 00:05:24,310 --> 00:05:25,610 for a permanent society 98 00:05:25,610 --> 00:05:27,910 to build houses and grow crops. 99 00:05:27,910 --> 00:05:31,480 Finding this island after 4 months was certainly 100 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,450 a high point of my career. 101 00:05:34,450 --> 00:05:38,350 WILDMAN: Sayers finds a clearing on the island and starts to dig. 102 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:42,390 Just 5 inches deep, he hits something extraordinary. 103 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,130 SAYERS: Started seeing evidence in the soil itself, 104 00:05:48,130 --> 00:05:49,730 like lead shot here and there, 105 00:05:49,740 --> 00:05:52,540 little bits and pieces of clear glass 106 00:05:52,540 --> 00:05:56,140 and even one gun flint. 107 00:05:56,140 --> 00:05:59,980 WILDMAN: As he digs further, he comes upon his greatest finding yet, 108 00:05:59,980 --> 00:06:03,410 the footprint of a cabin. 109 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:04,910 SAYERS: I'd finally found it. 110 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,680 I'd found this evidence of these permanent maroon communities. 111 00:06:07,690 --> 00:06:09,990 It was an amazing discovery. 112 00:06:09,990 --> 00:06:13,620 And I got chills. And I felt in awe. 113 00:06:15,060 --> 00:06:18,560 WILDMAN: For weeks, Sayers excavates more and more cabins, 114 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,260 which offer conclusive proof that the lost city 115 00:06:21,270 --> 00:06:24,400 of the maroons really did exist. 116 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,300 And, in the mud, even this canoe is found. 117 00:06:30,210 --> 00:06:32,980 SAYERS: It was like, "Wow. They were here. 118 00:06:32,980 --> 00:06:35,780 There is no doubt about it, the maroons." 119 00:06:35,780 --> 00:06:37,950 WILDMAN: Thanks to Sayers' ongoing work, 120 00:06:37,950 --> 00:06:40,020 a more complete picture of the maroons 121 00:06:40,020 --> 00:06:42,450 and their life in the Great Dismal Swamp 122 00:06:42,450 --> 00:06:44,550 has come into focus. 123 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,520 It's this kind of history that isn't known, 124 00:06:47,530 --> 00:06:50,830 and it's so important though because we need to understand 125 00:06:50,830 --> 00:06:52,530 how people persevered. 126 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:00,100 WILDMAN: Today, this canoe is on display at The Mariners' Museum. 127 00:07:00,110 --> 00:07:03,010 It recalls a legendary lost society 128 00:07:03,010 --> 00:07:05,310 that couldn't remain hidden forever. 129 00:07:10,250 --> 00:07:13,480 Located in the small town of Gainesville, Georgia, 130 00:07:13,490 --> 00:07:17,290 is the Trustee Library at Brenau University. 131 00:07:17,290 --> 00:07:19,220 Here, among the rows of research, 132 00:07:19,220 --> 00:07:21,990 texts and rare first editions, 133 00:07:21,990 --> 00:07:24,530 there is one unusually hefty item 134 00:07:24,530 --> 00:07:28,000 whose words are literally written in stone. 135 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,070 AMOS: It is a piece of quartzite. 136 00:07:30,070 --> 00:07:34,300 It weighs approximately 21 pounds and bears 137 00:07:34,310 --> 00:07:38,010 some writings that are carved into it, 138 00:07:38,010 --> 00:07:42,310 and that message is quite unclear. 139 00:07:42,310 --> 00:07:45,350 WILDMAN: This arcane description lies at the center of one 140 00:07:45,350 --> 00:07:47,620 of the country's earliest mysteries, 141 00:07:47,620 --> 00:07:49,990 when an entire group of English settlers 142 00:07:49,990 --> 00:07:51,960 seemingly vanished. 143 00:07:53,490 --> 00:07:56,530 So what is the stone, and what does it reveal 144 00:07:56,530 --> 00:07:58,360 about the fate of the pioneers 145 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,860 on the lost colony of Roanoke? 146 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:10,010 August, 1587, just off the coast of present-day North Carolina, 147 00:08:10,010 --> 00:08:13,410 a group of about 120 men, women and children 148 00:08:13,410 --> 00:08:16,480 are busy erecting shelters on Roanoke Island, 149 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,550 the first English settlement in the New World. 150 00:08:19,550 --> 00:08:22,490 AMOS: John White was governor of the island. 151 00:08:22,490 --> 00:08:26,160 With him were his daughter, Eleanor Dare, her husband, 152 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,960 Ananias Dare and his grandchild, 153 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:30,530 Virginia Dare, 154 00:08:30,530 --> 00:08:34,460 the first English child born in the New World. 155 00:08:37,140 --> 00:08:39,370 WILDMAN: But as summer draws to a close, 156 00:08:39,370 --> 00:08:42,710 White finds his colony in a precarious state. 157 00:08:42,710 --> 00:08:46,680 Running short on supplies and unable to harvest enough food 158 00:08:46,680 --> 00:08:48,980 for the oncoming winter season, 159 00:08:48,980 --> 00:08:52,350 the governor is forced to make a critical decision. 160 00:08:52,350 --> 00:08:57,020 John had to return to England to resupply the colony. 161 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,830 WILDMAN: So on August 27th, White sets sail for home, 162 00:09:02,830 --> 00:09:08,360 promising to return to the colony as quickly as he can. 163 00:09:08,370 --> 00:09:10,230 But after arriving back in Europe, 164 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,100 he finds England is on the brink 165 00:09:12,100 --> 00:09:14,740 of a long war with Spain, 166 00:09:14,740 --> 00:09:18,340 and his ship is commandeered until the conflict is over. 167 00:09:20,250 --> 00:09:25,150 It's not until 3 years later, on August 17th, 1590, 168 00:09:25,150 --> 00:09:27,450 that the governor finally arrives back 169 00:09:27,450 --> 00:09:29,550 on the shores of Roanoke Island, 170 00:09:29,550 --> 00:09:34,120 desperate to be reunited with his family. 171 00:09:34,130 --> 00:09:39,100 But once on land, his hopes are dashed. 172 00:09:39,100 --> 00:09:43,700 John White can find no trace of the colony that was there. 173 00:09:43,700 --> 00:09:46,900 As a matter of fact, there was nothing left to show 174 00:09:46,910 --> 00:09:51,410 that a colony had even been there. 175 00:09:51,410 --> 00:09:55,610 WILDMAN: So what terrible fate befell the lost colony of Roanoke? 176 00:10:02,150 --> 00:10:04,850 It's 1590 on Roanoke Island 177 00:10:04,860 --> 00:10:07,690 in what is present-day North Carolina. 178 00:10:07,690 --> 00:10:10,290 The first British colony in North America 179 00:10:10,290 --> 00:10:13,400 has vanished into thin air. 180 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,700 So what could have happened to these courageous colonists? 181 00:10:17,700 --> 00:10:20,500 The leader of the group, Governor John White, 182 00:10:20,500 --> 00:10:23,570 investigates the surrounding area for clues 183 00:10:23,570 --> 00:10:26,880 and soon comes across a tree curiously engraved 184 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:28,340 with three letters. 185 00:10:28,350 --> 00:10:32,380 It reads simply, "CRO." 186 00:10:32,380 --> 00:10:37,720 "CRO" seemed to be an indicator of the Croatoan Indians 187 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:39,520 who lived nearby. 188 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:41,590 WILDMAN: Could it be a sign that the colonists 189 00:10:41,590 --> 00:10:43,130 sought help from the Natives 190 00:10:43,130 --> 00:10:45,260 and moved to Croatoan Island 191 00:10:45,260 --> 00:10:48,560 or did a worse fate befall them? 192 00:10:48,570 --> 00:10:51,270 Unfortunately, Governor John White would leave 193 00:10:51,270 --> 00:10:53,470 the desolate shores of the New World 194 00:10:53,470 --> 00:10:55,700 with no answers. 195 00:10:55,710 --> 00:10:59,510 AMOS: The colonists were never found. 196 00:10:59,510 --> 00:11:01,840 WILDMAN: It seems the fate of the Roanoke Colony 197 00:11:01,850 --> 00:11:05,350 will stand as one of the most baffling mysteries in history. 198 00:11:07,450 --> 00:11:12,320 Then, nearly 350 years later in 1937, 199 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:14,220 a man named L.E. Hammond is 200 00:11:14,230 --> 00:11:17,030 taking a walk through the woods of North Carolina 201 00:11:17,030 --> 00:11:19,330 when he stumbles upon this rock. 202 00:11:22,030 --> 00:11:26,170 The stone has an inscription on it. 203 00:11:26,170 --> 00:11:31,940 It reads, "Ananias Dare and Virginia Dare 204 00:11:31,940 --> 00:11:37,150 went hence into heaven 1591." 205 00:11:37,150 --> 00:11:40,120 WILDMAN: It seems that this is a record of the death of Governor 206 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,620 John White's son-in-law, Ananias, 207 00:11:42,620 --> 00:11:45,150 and his granddaughter Virginia. 208 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,920 When Hammond examines the backside of the stone, 209 00:11:47,930 --> 00:11:49,930 he finds another etching. 210 00:11:49,930 --> 00:11:53,160 But the remaining words are almost illegible, 211 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,230 so he takes it to Dr. Haywood Pearce, Jr., 212 00:11:56,230 --> 00:11:58,730 Vice President of Brenau University, 213 00:11:58,740 --> 00:12:00,870 who arranges for a team of specialists 214 00:12:00,870 --> 00:12:02,940 to perform a careful analysis. 215 00:12:05,210 --> 00:12:07,980 According to a group of experts, the message, 216 00:12:07,980 --> 00:12:11,050 scripted in 16th century Elizabethan English, 217 00:12:11,050 --> 00:12:14,450 tells a dark tale of how most of the colonists 218 00:12:14,450 --> 00:12:17,020 of Roanoke Island were killed in an attack 219 00:12:17,020 --> 00:12:19,050 by a native tribe. 220 00:12:19,060 --> 00:12:21,560 And there's one more detail that seems to confirm 221 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:23,530 the stone's authenticity. 222 00:12:23,530 --> 00:12:28,760 Engraved at the bottom of the stone were the initials, 223 00:12:28,770 --> 00:12:32,370 "E.W.D." 224 00:12:32,370 --> 00:12:36,040 WILDMAN: The initials match those of John White's own daughter, 225 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:37,710 Eleanor White Dare. 226 00:12:39,380 --> 00:12:41,910 The rock is dubbed the Dare Stone 227 00:12:41,910 --> 00:12:43,180 and hailed as the key 228 00:12:43,180 --> 00:12:45,550 to unlocking the mystery of what happened 229 00:12:45,550 --> 00:12:47,550 to the lost colony of Roanoke. 230 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:51,550 But the story doesn't end there. 231 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:54,860 Four years later, in 1941, journalist 232 00:12:54,860 --> 00:12:56,260 Boyden Sparks publishes 233 00:12:56,260 --> 00:12:58,590 an article in the Saturday evening post 234 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,630 that makes a startling allegation. 235 00:13:01,630 --> 00:13:07,040 He asserts that the celebrated Dare Stone is a fake. 236 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,710 Sparks claims that Hammond faked the stone 237 00:13:09,710 --> 00:13:12,170 for his own material gain, 238 00:13:12,180 --> 00:13:14,710 suggesting that he profited from the get-go 239 00:13:14,710 --> 00:13:16,350 when Hayward Pearce paid him 240 00:13:16,350 --> 00:13:18,510 $1,000 to take possession 241 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:20,720 of his amazing discovery. 242 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:22,780 And adding to the air of suspicious 243 00:13:22,790 --> 00:13:24,190 surrounding the stone, 244 00:13:24,190 --> 00:13:27,020 when the reporter attempts to track Hammond down, 245 00:13:27,020 --> 00:13:30,230 it seems that he has mysteriously disappeared 246 00:13:30,230 --> 00:13:33,100 and is never heard from again. 247 00:13:33,100 --> 00:13:37,000 L.E. Hammond had dropped off the face of the Earth. 248 00:13:39,170 --> 00:13:41,900 WILDMAN: So was this all just a giant publicity stunt 249 00:13:41,910 --> 00:13:45,240 dreamed up by Hammond to earn some cash? 250 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,740 And if the stone is a fake, then what really happened 251 00:13:48,750 --> 00:13:50,910 to the lost colony of Roanoke? 252 00:13:53,580 --> 00:13:56,950 Whether genuine or not, the Dare Stone remains 253 00:13:56,950 --> 00:14:00,560 housed at Brenau University's Trustee Library, 254 00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:03,130 an imperishable reminder of one of history's 255 00:14:03,130 --> 00:14:05,660 most bewildering disappearances. 256 00:14:08,830 --> 00:14:13,800 Chicago, Illinois is famously known as the Windy City. 257 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:16,610 But few realize this Midwestern metropolis 258 00:14:16,610 --> 00:14:18,310 has a sweeter moniker, 259 00:14:18,310 --> 00:14:21,380 the Candy Capital of the nation. 260 00:14:21,380 --> 00:14:24,080 It's the birthplace of such legendary sweets 261 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:28,180 as Tootsie Rolls, Snickers and Wrigley Gum. 262 00:14:28,190 --> 00:14:30,720 Some of these factories still open their doors 263 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:32,720 for public tours. 264 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,820 But those looking to satisfy their appetite for knowledge 265 00:14:35,830 --> 00:14:37,290 can visit one of Chicago's 266 00:14:37,290 --> 00:14:39,530 most prestigious institutions, 267 00:14:39,530 --> 00:14:43,400 the Field Museum of Natural History. 268 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:47,040 It displays more than 300,000 artifacts, 269 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:51,840 including a carved status of an ancient Mayan king, 270 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,110 an Aztec Sun Stone from South America 271 00:14:55,110 --> 00:14:58,110 and a sacred altar used by native tribes 272 00:14:58,120 --> 00:14:59,750 in the Pacific Northwest. 273 00:15:02,620 --> 00:15:04,520 But among these illustrious relics, 274 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:07,420 there's one set of items that eclipses them all. 275 00:15:07,420 --> 00:15:10,030 The artifacts are about 6 feet tall. 276 00:15:10,030 --> 00:15:12,860 They are made out of fired terracotta clay. 277 00:15:12,860 --> 00:15:16,360 They are roughly 2,200 years old and look 278 00:15:16,370 --> 00:15:18,630 as if they are ready for battle. 279 00:15:20,340 --> 00:15:26,070 WILDMAN: These are just some of China's legendary Terracotta Warriors. 280 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:28,940 They're regarded by many as history's greatest 281 00:15:28,950 --> 00:15:31,250 archaeological discovery. 282 00:15:31,250 --> 00:15:34,180 And behind these intricately sculpted clay figures 283 00:15:34,180 --> 00:15:36,550 is an incredible story of power, 284 00:15:36,550 --> 00:15:40,060 intrigue and a tragic quest for immortality. 285 00:15:40,060 --> 00:15:43,230 Buried deep beneath the earth was a truly amazing story 286 00:15:43,230 --> 00:15:44,690 from the past. 287 00:15:44,700 --> 00:15:47,700 ¶ 288 00:15:49,270 --> 00:15:53,500 WILDMAN: 1974 -- Shaanxi province, China. 289 00:15:53,500 --> 00:15:55,270 A farmer is digging a well 290 00:15:55,270 --> 00:15:59,610 when suddenly his shovel strikes something hard. 291 00:15:59,610 --> 00:16:02,240 The impediment appears to be some kind of round, 292 00:16:02,250 --> 00:16:04,780 ceramic object. 293 00:16:04,780 --> 00:16:07,550 Thinking he's stumbled upon an old clay jar, 294 00:16:07,550 --> 00:16:10,750 which could be useful, he digs it out. 295 00:16:10,750 --> 00:16:15,190 But the object is no simple container. 296 00:16:15,190 --> 00:16:17,890 It appears to be part of a statue. 297 00:16:17,900 --> 00:16:20,100 BEKKEN: What he was looking at was 298 00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:22,700 unlike anything he had seen before. 299 00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:27,840 The farmer contacts a local museum, 300 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,040 which sends a team of archaeologists to the scene, 301 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,540 and they start to excavate the entire area. 302 00:16:34,550 --> 00:16:36,650 And what they find is more incredible 303 00:16:36,650 --> 00:16:39,150 than anyone could've imagined. 304 00:16:39,150 --> 00:16:43,690 Under the earth is not just one statue but an entire army 305 00:16:43,690 --> 00:16:46,660 of life-sized warriors. 306 00:16:46,660 --> 00:16:50,830 They had stumbled on an absolutely amazing find. 307 00:16:50,830 --> 00:16:55,660 WILDMAN: Archaeologists uncover more than 2,000 statues 308 00:16:55,670 --> 00:16:58,730 made of intricately carved terracotta. 309 00:16:58,740 --> 00:17:03,100 Among the clay army are archers, infantrymen and even cavalry, 310 00:17:03,110 --> 00:17:06,210 complete with horses and chariots. 311 00:17:06,210 --> 00:17:09,180 No two statues are alike, 312 00:17:09,180 --> 00:17:11,880 and each one has unique facial features 313 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,220 and is armed with a bronze weapon. 314 00:17:16,420 --> 00:17:18,720 This was one of the major archaeological 315 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:20,990 discoveries of the 20th century. 316 00:17:20,990 --> 00:17:23,730 WILDMAN: So what are these silent statues? 317 00:17:23,730 --> 00:17:26,430 Who buried them in the earth, and why? 318 00:17:33,900 --> 00:17:37,640 It's the late 1970s in China. 319 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:39,780 Archaeologists have made one of the greatest 320 00:17:39,780 --> 00:17:42,310 discoveries of all time, 321 00:17:42,310 --> 00:17:45,250 thousands of life-sized warriors 322 00:17:45,250 --> 00:17:48,420 made of intricately sculpted terracotta. 323 00:17:48,420 --> 00:17:51,790 So what's the story behind these silent soldiers? 324 00:17:54,490 --> 00:18:00,230 According to historians, the tale begins in 221 B.C. 325 00:18:00,230 --> 00:18:04,630 38-year-old Qin Shi Huang Di is the first emperor 326 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:07,270 to rule over a unified China. 327 00:18:07,270 --> 00:18:10,310 The young leader has already left an indelible mark 328 00:18:10,310 --> 00:18:13,480 on his nation's culture. 329 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,350 He's assembled an unstoppable army, 330 00:18:16,350 --> 00:18:19,280 laid the foundations for the Great Wall of China 331 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,250 and lives in the world's most lavish 332 00:18:21,250 --> 00:18:24,490 royal residence, Epang Palace. 333 00:18:24,490 --> 00:18:28,120 Qin Shi Huang Di has it all, 334 00:18:28,130 --> 00:18:29,730 but there's one thing he craves 335 00:18:29,730 --> 00:18:32,530 more than anything else: 336 00:18:32,530 --> 00:18:34,800 eternal life. 337 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,500 BEKKEN: The first emperor became increasingly obsessed 338 00:18:38,500 --> 00:18:42,170 with the possibility of attaining immortality. 339 00:18:42,170 --> 00:18:46,340 WILDMAN: Qin Shi Huang Di sends legions of men to the four corners 340 00:18:46,340 --> 00:18:49,710 of the empire in search of rare medicinal herbs. 341 00:18:49,710 --> 00:18:52,980 He employs scores of magicians and alchemists 342 00:18:52,980 --> 00:18:54,450 to concoct elixirs 343 00:18:54,450 --> 00:18:56,950 he hopes will grant him eternal life. 344 00:18:59,020 --> 00:19:01,320 But despite years of efforts, 345 00:19:01,330 --> 00:19:03,860 he cannot stop the aging process. 346 00:19:03,860 --> 00:19:06,800 Qin Shi Huang Di comes to the realization that, 347 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:08,100 like all mortals, 348 00:19:08,100 --> 00:19:10,600 he too will eventually perish. 349 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,940 So he devises a bizarre back-up plan. 350 00:19:13,940 --> 00:19:17,940 If he can't govern his kingdom for all eternity in this life, 351 00:19:17,940 --> 00:19:22,140 he'll make sure he rules it in the next one. 352 00:19:22,150 --> 00:19:25,450 According to Chinese tradition, items buried with the dead 353 00:19:25,450 --> 00:19:27,750 can be taken into the afterlife. 354 00:19:27,750 --> 00:19:30,890 So to secure his empire from beyond the grave, 355 00:19:30,890 --> 00:19:34,020 Qin Shi Huang Di decides to take an army with him. 356 00:19:36,390 --> 00:19:39,230 The emperor commissions a public works project 357 00:19:39,230 --> 00:19:41,400 of unimaginable grandeur, 358 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,830 a vast mausoleum containing an entire army 359 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:46,800 sculpted out of terracotta. 360 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:48,840 BEKKEN: The first emperor built, essentially, 361 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:50,440 an underground kingdom 362 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:54,110 for himself to enjoy in the afterlife 363 00:19:54,110 --> 00:19:58,310 and also to continue being a first emperor. 364 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,780 WILDMAN: Each individual warrior is molded out of clay, 365 00:20:01,790 --> 00:20:03,750 then its unique facial features 366 00:20:03,750 --> 00:20:06,190 are painstakingly sculpted, 367 00:20:06,190 --> 00:20:09,760 and finally the whole statue is dried in a massive kiln. 368 00:20:11,530 --> 00:20:15,760 When Qin Shi Huang Di dies in 210 B.C., 369 00:20:15,770 --> 00:20:18,200 he's buried in an elaborate tomb. 370 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,440 With him is his army of Terracotta Warriors 371 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:23,710 as well as replicas of his great palaces 372 00:20:23,710 --> 00:20:25,740 and grandest monuments. 373 00:20:25,740 --> 00:20:29,450 There are even rivers flowing with shimmering mercury. 374 00:20:29,450 --> 00:20:31,780 Some accounts indicate that it probably 375 00:20:31,780 --> 00:20:35,350 took roughly 700,000 men laboring 376 00:20:35,350 --> 00:20:38,620 to build the site and everything that it contains. 377 00:20:40,830 --> 00:20:45,090 WILDMAN: Today, archaeologists estimate that only about one percent 378 00:20:45,100 --> 00:20:48,730 of the huge underground kingdom has been excavated. 379 00:20:48,730 --> 00:20:53,000 They believe an additional 8,000 figures are still buried 380 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,210 underground along with the emperor himself. 381 00:20:56,210 --> 00:20:58,070 BEKKEN: It's absolutely an amazing sight. 382 00:20:58,080 --> 00:20:59,780 I expect that there will be 383 00:20:59,780 --> 00:21:02,440 additional discoveries in the years ahead. 384 00:21:04,550 --> 00:21:06,480 WILDMAN: And these Terracotta Warriors, 385 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:09,920 on temporary display at the Field Museum in Chicago, 386 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,790 unearth an emperor's quest for immortality and the army 387 00:21:13,790 --> 00:21:16,860 that marched with him into the afterlife. 388 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:22,900 Miami, Florida. 389 00:21:22,900 --> 00:21:26,970 In 1994, a doctor in this sun-drenched city 390 00:21:26,970 --> 00:21:30,410 invented Coppertone suntan lotion. 391 00:21:30,410 --> 00:21:32,640 And just a few blocks west of the sand 392 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:34,740 and surf is an institution 393 00:21:34,750 --> 00:21:37,910 that celebrates the spirit of hometown innovation, 394 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:42,120 the Patricia And Phillip Frost Museum of Science. 395 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:46,460 This facility features a 230-seat planetarium, 396 00:21:46,460 --> 00:21:48,820 a raptor rehabilitation center 397 00:21:48,830 --> 00:21:51,460 and an indoor/outdoor sea lab. 398 00:21:51,460 --> 00:21:54,800 But amidst these large and impressive installations 399 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,430 is a more primitive set of artifacts. 400 00:21:57,430 --> 00:22:01,870 ARROW: This is a collection of 12 rocks made of limestone, 401 00:22:01,870 --> 00:22:06,010 and there are a few that have what look like straight lines. 402 00:22:06,010 --> 00:22:08,810 WILDMAN: These stones once sent seismic waves 403 00:22:08,810 --> 00:22:11,080 through the archaeological community. 404 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,720 They are a possible clue to a lost civilization. 405 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:18,350 WILDMAN: What maverick scientist discovered these rocks, 406 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:22,020 and what ancient puzzle did they promise to solve? 407 00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:27,960 1967 -- Miami, Florida. 408 00:22:27,970 --> 00:22:32,000 65-year-old J. Manson Valentine is an internationally 409 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,640 renowned scientist whose passion for ancient cities 410 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,540 has taken him from the mountaintops of Machu Picchu 411 00:22:38,540 --> 00:22:40,610 to the caves of the Yucatan. 412 00:22:40,610 --> 00:22:45,410 He's traveling around the world, looking for lost civilizations. 413 00:22:45,420 --> 00:22:47,980 WILDMAN: Yet one legendary site holds a potent 414 00:22:47,990 --> 00:22:50,990 spell over the scientist, 415 00:22:50,990 --> 00:22:53,620 the lost city of Atlantis. 416 00:22:53,620 --> 00:22:56,020 If you study lost civilizations, 417 00:22:56,030 --> 00:22:59,360 Atlantis is sort of the Holy Grail. 418 00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:02,260 WILDMAN: According to the Greek philosopher Plato, 419 00:23:02,270 --> 00:23:04,570 Atlantis was an island utopia 420 00:23:04,570 --> 00:23:07,640 that flourished until around 9000 B.C. 421 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:10,410 when it was submerged by a violent flood. 422 00:23:10,410 --> 00:23:13,610 For centuries, historians interpreted Plato's tale 423 00:23:13,610 --> 00:23:18,280 of destruction as a parable for the pitfalls of hubris. 424 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,650 But some, like Valentine, believed that Atlantis was real 425 00:23:22,650 --> 00:23:26,220 and that its underwater ruins are waiting to be discovered. 426 00:23:26,220 --> 00:23:28,890 ARROW: If an archaeologist or researcher 427 00:23:28,890 --> 00:23:31,390 were to actually find Atlantis, 428 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:34,830 it would be sort of a find of the century. 429 00:23:34,830 --> 00:23:37,330 WILDMAN: Then, one day, Valentine stumbles 430 00:23:37,330 --> 00:23:39,100 upon a curious book 431 00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:43,040 penned by an enigmatic psychic named Edgar Casey. 432 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:46,880 Edgar Casey is a sort of Nostradamus-like figure 433 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:48,280 from the 20th century. 434 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:52,080 WILDMAN: Casey foretold the 1929 stock market crash 435 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,580 as well as the year World War II would begin, 436 00:23:55,590 --> 00:23:57,750 and it seems he also took an interest 437 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,120 in the legendary lost city. 438 00:24:01,130 --> 00:24:06,600 ARROW: Edgar Casey made a prediction that, in 1968 or 1969, 439 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,230 Atlantis would rise out of the ocean in the area 440 00:24:09,230 --> 00:24:12,100 that we know as Bimini and the Bahamas, 441 00:24:12,100 --> 00:24:14,970 right off the coast of Florida. 442 00:24:14,970 --> 00:24:17,910 WILDMAN: The claim leaves Valentine reeling. 443 00:24:17,910 --> 00:24:21,580 If Casey's prediction is accurate, Atlantis should be 444 00:24:21,580 --> 00:24:25,310 waiting to rise again somewhere in his own backyard. 445 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,250 He feels like he's in the right place at the right time. 446 00:24:29,250 --> 00:24:32,890 WILDMAN: Valentine travels to the Bahamas in search of the ruins, 447 00:24:32,890 --> 00:24:34,820 but comes up empty. 448 00:24:34,830 --> 00:24:38,160 Then on September 2nd, during a solo dive off 449 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,830 North Bimini Island, Valentine spots 450 00:24:40,830 --> 00:24:45,230 an unusual formation on the ocean floor. 451 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,710 It's an underwater structure, about 1,600 feet long 452 00:24:49,710 --> 00:24:50,970 in sort of a J shape, 453 00:24:50,970 --> 00:24:54,780 which very much appears to be man-made. 454 00:24:54,780 --> 00:24:58,750 WILDMAN: The formation looks to be comprised of hundreds of uniform 455 00:24:58,750 --> 00:25:01,020 rectangular stones. 456 00:25:01,020 --> 00:25:03,650 SANDLER: The rocks appear to be a sort of pavement, 457 00:25:03,650 --> 00:25:05,090 a sort of a street. 458 00:25:05,090 --> 00:25:08,220 WILDMAN: The scientist can't believe his eyes. 459 00:25:08,230 --> 00:25:10,160 SANDLER: It's such an expansive site. 460 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:14,200 It directly coincides with Casey's predictions, 1968, 461 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:15,800 right off the coast of Bimini, 462 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:17,600 and he thinks it could be 463 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:19,940 the remnants of an ancient civilization, 464 00:25:19,940 --> 00:25:22,100 not just a road. 465 00:25:22,110 --> 00:25:25,470 WILDMAN: Valentine collects rock samples for analysis, 466 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:27,480 the same specimens housed at the 467 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,210 Miami Frost Museum of Science. 468 00:25:30,210 --> 00:25:32,680 He tests the fragments, and determines 469 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,080 that they are about 12,000 years old, 470 00:25:35,090 --> 00:25:38,990 consistent with the time frame in Plato's writing. 471 00:25:38,990 --> 00:25:43,290 Valentine is convinced he's found Atlantis. 472 00:25:43,290 --> 00:25:45,960 And when he announces his discovery to the press, 473 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:48,730 it sets off a frenzy of excitement. 474 00:25:48,730 --> 00:25:52,500 ARROW: So you have people coming from all over the world, 475 00:25:52,500 --> 00:25:55,700 wanting to conduct research and get in on the discovery. 476 00:25:55,710 --> 00:25:58,040 WILDMAN: But not everyone is convinced. 477 00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:01,840 several experts question the nature of Valentine's find. 478 00:26:01,850 --> 00:26:06,620 So has he really uncovered the long-lost city of Atlantis? 479 00:26:11,050 --> 00:26:12,950 It's 1968. 480 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,090 After years of searching, scientist 481 00:26:15,090 --> 00:26:18,260 J. Mason Valentine believes he's found the ruins 482 00:26:18,260 --> 00:26:20,560 of the legendary city of Atlantis 483 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:22,730 just off the coast of the Bahamas. 484 00:26:22,730 --> 00:26:26,500 So has this fabled lost city finally been found? 485 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:32,540 Many scientists have doubts about Valentine's discovery. 486 00:26:32,540 --> 00:26:36,840 Chief among the skeptics is a geologist named Eugene Shinn. 487 00:26:36,850 --> 00:26:39,510 He went on record, essentially saying 488 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:41,850 that these are not man-made rocks, 489 00:26:41,850 --> 00:26:45,720 but they're naturally formed beach rock. 490 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,260 WILDMAN: According to Shinn, beach rock is formed 491 00:26:48,260 --> 00:26:51,330 when sand and silt harden over time, 492 00:26:51,330 --> 00:26:53,530 and that mixture combined with the motion 493 00:26:53,530 --> 00:26:55,960 of the tides forms slabs 494 00:26:55,970 --> 00:26:58,630 that appear to mimic masonry. 495 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:00,470 Upon first glance, you would think you're looking 496 00:27:00,470 --> 00:27:02,270 at a man-made formation, 497 00:27:02,270 --> 00:27:06,170 when this is a natural process that's taking place. 498 00:27:06,180 --> 00:27:09,440 WILDMAN: Shinn soon gathers his own samples for testing. 499 00:27:09,450 --> 00:27:13,150 Dr. Shinn has the rocks carbon-dated, 500 00:27:13,150 --> 00:27:17,020 and he discovers that they're only 4,000 years old. 501 00:27:17,020 --> 00:27:20,020 WILDMAN: This time frame falls 7,000 years 502 00:27:20,020 --> 00:27:22,760 after Atlantis' supposed destruction, 503 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,860 further bolstering Shinn's theory that the stones 504 00:27:25,860 --> 00:27:29,630 are nothing more than a natural formation. 505 00:27:29,630 --> 00:27:32,900 Yet this information fails to sway Valentine. 506 00:27:32,900 --> 00:27:36,570 Dr. Valentine felt that that was not conclusive evidence, 507 00:27:36,570 --> 00:27:39,740 that more research needed to be done. 508 00:27:39,740 --> 00:27:42,510 WILDMAN: Valentine never wavers in his conviction 509 00:27:42,510 --> 00:27:45,910 and goes to his grave in 1994 believing 510 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,780 he found the lost city. 511 00:27:48,790 --> 00:27:50,420 Today, these rock samples 512 00:27:50,420 --> 00:27:53,420 at the Miami Frost Museum of Science speak 513 00:27:53,420 --> 00:27:55,920 to the enduring legend of Atlantis 514 00:27:55,930 --> 00:27:58,130 and the hope that it is still out there, 515 00:27:58,130 --> 00:27:59,930 waiting to be discovered. 516 00:28:02,270 --> 00:28:04,330 Alexandria, Minnesota. 517 00:28:04,330 --> 00:28:07,440 In the heart of this small town is a 28-foot-tall 518 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:11,440 statue of a Viking warrior called Big Ole. 519 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,710 Built in 1965, it's a symbol of the city's 520 00:28:14,710 --> 00:28:17,710 long-standing Scandinavian heritage, 521 00:28:17,710 --> 00:28:20,050 and just down the road sits an institution 522 00:28:20,050 --> 00:28:22,480 that celebrates a more mysterious side 523 00:28:22,490 --> 00:28:25,490 of the region's history, the Runestone Museum. 524 00:28:27,420 --> 00:28:30,290 On display is a replica of a 15th century 525 00:28:30,290 --> 00:28:32,630 Viking trading ship, 526 00:28:32,630 --> 00:28:35,760 a high-wheel bike from the 1930s 527 00:28:35,770 --> 00:28:39,030 and an early 20th century Native American canoe. 528 00:28:42,910 --> 00:28:45,170 But the crowning glory is the artifact 529 00:28:45,170 --> 00:28:48,840 that gives this museum its name. 530 00:28:48,850 --> 00:28:52,410 KRUEGER: It's 30 inches tall, 15 inches wide. 531 00:28:52,420 --> 00:28:54,620 It's a rectangular shape. 532 00:28:54,620 --> 00:28:59,520 It has mostly a gray-ish tint, and you can see various etchings 533 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:01,260 and carvings into its surface. 534 00:29:02,790 --> 00:29:06,260 WILDMAN: This is the Kensington Runestone. 535 00:29:06,260 --> 00:29:08,030 It's tied to a controversy 536 00:29:08,030 --> 00:29:11,430 that some believe rewrites American history. 537 00:29:11,430 --> 00:29:14,300 This artifact has fascinated historians 538 00:29:14,300 --> 00:29:18,040 and scores of citizens for decades. 539 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:22,010 WILDMAN: So what is this bizarre relic and where did it come from? 540 00:29:22,010 --> 00:29:25,810 ¶ 541 00:29:25,820 --> 00:29:29,380 It's 1898 in Minnesota. 542 00:29:29,390 --> 00:29:31,850 The rural of village of Kensington is a small, 543 00:29:31,850 --> 00:29:34,690 proud community of Swedish immigrants. 544 00:29:38,190 --> 00:29:40,830 One day, a local farmer named Olaf Ohlman 545 00:29:40,830 --> 00:29:43,860 makes an announcement that takes everyone by surprise. 546 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:47,100 He says he's discovered 547 00:29:47,100 --> 00:29:50,100 something strange on his property. 548 00:29:50,110 --> 00:29:54,880 It's a massive rock inscribed with illegible carvings. 549 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,580 KRUEGER: This slab of stone looked an awful lot like a tombstone, 550 00:29:58,580 --> 00:30:00,920 and on the surface of the stone 551 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:04,290 was a very fascinating-looking etching. 552 00:30:04,290 --> 00:30:08,320 WILDMAN: Ohlman's neighbors are amazed by this find, but what it is 553 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:11,130 and how it got there is anyone's guess. 554 00:30:11,130 --> 00:30:14,360 KRUEGER: They were curious about the strange markings 555 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:16,400 in the surface of the stone. 556 00:30:18,430 --> 00:30:22,670 WILDMAN: Ohlman puts the mysterious rock on display at a local bank. 557 00:30:22,670 --> 00:30:25,840 KRUEGER: There was great fascination among residents. 558 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,610 This certainly would have been the talk of the town. 559 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:34,520 WILDMAN: A few weeks later, a team made up of historians 560 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,880 and linguistic experts arrives 561 00:30:36,890 --> 00:30:39,590 to analyze the strange symbols on the rock, 562 00:30:39,590 --> 00:30:42,560 and they make a stunning announcement. 563 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:49,200 They were ancient Scandinavian texts known as runic writing. 564 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:51,870 WILDMAN: The carvings chronicle a Viking expedition 565 00:30:51,870 --> 00:30:56,140 from Scandinavia to the interior of North America. 566 00:30:56,140 --> 00:30:59,140 But the most surprising part of all is that the writing 567 00:30:59,140 --> 00:31:03,740 supposedly dates back to the year 1362. 568 00:31:03,750 --> 00:31:06,910 That's more than 100 years before Christopher Columbus 569 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:09,880 discovered America. 570 00:31:09,890 --> 00:31:13,990 This amazing revelation could rewrite the history books. 571 00:31:13,990 --> 00:31:16,120 This was something much bigger than anybody 572 00:31:16,130 --> 00:31:17,660 could've imagined at the time. 573 00:31:17,660 --> 00:31:20,660 This could demonstrate the Vikings had visited 574 00:31:20,660 --> 00:31:24,060 North America prior to Columbus. 575 00:31:24,070 --> 00:31:27,570 WILDMAN: So does this stone actually prove that the Vikings 576 00:31:27,570 --> 00:31:30,000 were the first Europeans in North America, 577 00:31:30,010 --> 00:31:32,470 or is there more to this remarkable relic 578 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:33,440 than meets the eye? 579 00:31:37,650 --> 00:31:40,380 It's the 1890s in Minnesota. 580 00:31:40,380 --> 00:31:44,350 A farmer named Olaf Ohlman has made a remarkable discovery, 581 00:31:44,350 --> 00:31:46,950 a stone covered in Viking carvings 582 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,220 dating back to 1362, 583 00:31:49,220 --> 00:31:51,520 which would place the Vikings in North America 584 00:31:51,530 --> 00:31:53,960 100 years before Columbus. 585 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,600 But is this relic for real? 586 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,970 The artifact becomes known as the Kensington Runestone, 587 00:31:59,970 --> 00:32:02,200 a source of pride for the local community 588 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,140 and an object of fascination for the rest of the country. 589 00:32:05,140 --> 00:32:08,240 KRUEGER: People were fascinated by the notion that Vikings, 590 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:10,910 or Norsemen, had visited North America 591 00:32:10,910 --> 00:32:12,480 over 140 years 592 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:15,520 before Christopher Columbus arrived in the Bahamas. 593 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:20,020 It would truly be a reason to rewrite the history books. 594 00:32:20,020 --> 00:32:21,590 WILDMAN: But not everyone is convinced 595 00:32:21,590 --> 00:32:25,730 that Ohlman's discovery is authentic. 596 00:32:25,730 --> 00:32:28,630 A professor at the University of Minnesota decides 597 00:32:28,630 --> 00:32:32,000 to investigate whether the carvings are genuine. 598 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:35,100 His name is Olaus Breda. 599 00:32:35,100 --> 00:32:38,340 KRUEGER: Olaus Breda had read a wide variety of Scandinavian 600 00:32:38,340 --> 00:32:40,510 texts since the 1870s, 601 00:32:40,510 --> 00:32:42,480 and he was open to the possibility 602 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,950 that this could be authentic. 603 00:32:45,950 --> 00:32:49,820 WILDMAN: Breda pours over the strange markings, 604 00:32:49,820 --> 00:32:52,650 and then he notices something unusual. 605 00:32:52,650 --> 00:32:56,820 The inscription contains several runes that did not exist 606 00:32:56,830 --> 00:32:59,790 when the tablet was said to have been carved. 607 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:02,400 KRUEGER: There were certain words that he did not believe 608 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,470 were actually used during the 14th century, 609 00:33:05,470 --> 00:33:07,430 so Breda was rightly suspicious 610 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:09,740 that this could be an authentic Viking artifact 611 00:33:09,740 --> 00:33:12,510 from the medieval period. 612 00:33:12,510 --> 00:33:16,210 WILDMAN: Breda comes to a remarkable conclusion. 613 00:33:16,210 --> 00:33:18,950 He declared the stone to be a forgery. 614 00:33:21,780 --> 00:33:24,450 WILDMAN: Breda publishes his findings, 615 00:33:24,450 --> 00:33:26,450 and, as his paper makes the rounds, 616 00:33:26,460 --> 00:33:28,920 several prominent scholars back him up. 617 00:33:31,530 --> 00:33:33,590 A theory emerges that Olaf Ohlman 618 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:38,500 carved the stone himself and buried it on his property. 619 00:33:38,500 --> 00:33:42,040 Then, sometime later, he dug it up and pretended 620 00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:44,400 it was a genuine medieval artifact 621 00:33:44,410 --> 00:33:46,810 in the hopes of selling it for a hefty sum. 622 00:33:46,810 --> 00:33:51,080 People accused him of being dishonest, a trickster. 623 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:55,280 WILDMAN: The announcement sparks outrage among the public, 624 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:57,720 who feel they've been hoodwinked. 625 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:03,360 Ohlman, for his part, sells the now worthless stone 626 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:07,490 to the Minnesota Historical Society for $10. 627 00:34:07,500 --> 00:34:11,300 But he goes to his grave insisting the stone is genuine. 628 00:34:13,940 --> 00:34:17,140 Today, no one knows for sure what the origins 629 00:34:17,140 --> 00:34:19,140 of the Kensington Runestone are, 630 00:34:19,140 --> 00:34:21,070 and the debate rages on. 631 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:23,380 The story that it tells in the inscription 632 00:34:23,380 --> 00:34:25,550 is so good that people 633 00:34:25,550 --> 00:34:28,880 desperately want to believe it's true. 634 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:32,350 WILDMAN: Meanwhile, the controversial relic remains on display 635 00:34:32,350 --> 00:34:35,120 at the Runestone Museum in Alexandria. 636 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:38,590 It sits at the center of an allegedly ancient mystery 637 00:34:38,590 --> 00:34:40,730 that refuses to be buried. 638 00:34:43,230 --> 00:34:46,670 Nestled between the Rocky Mountains and the High Plains, 639 00:34:46,670 --> 00:34:49,970 it's Colorado's capital city, Denver. 640 00:34:49,970 --> 00:34:55,440 It is known for iconic concert venues, beautiful parks 641 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:57,310 and a thriving brewery scene 642 00:34:57,310 --> 00:35:00,250 that boasts more than 100 pubs. 643 00:35:00,250 --> 00:35:03,350 And right in the heart of this bustling metropolis 644 00:35:03,350 --> 00:35:05,520 is the History Colorado Center. 645 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:13,030 Founded in 1879, the museum displays a writing desk 646 00:35:13,030 --> 00:35:17,130 that once belonged to author Robert Louis Stevenson, 647 00:35:17,130 --> 00:35:20,830 a 1910 Model T automobile 648 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:24,300 and coins forged from gold mined in the area. 649 00:35:28,340 --> 00:35:30,740 And among these relics of the past 650 00:35:30,750 --> 00:35:33,780 is one rather delicate item. 651 00:35:33,780 --> 00:35:37,880 It is about 9 inches long, about 4 1/2 inches wide. 652 00:35:37,890 --> 00:35:40,450 It's made out of plant material. 653 00:35:40,460 --> 00:35:45,630 It's flat and thin, and this artifact is about 800 years old. 654 00:35:48,500 --> 00:35:52,200 WILDMAN: This ancient sandal recalls an unlikely archaeologist 655 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:54,170 and his breathtaking discovery. 656 00:35:56,070 --> 00:35:58,840 GOFF: This is a story about how a lost civilization 657 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:00,540 became a national treasure. 658 00:36:00,540 --> 00:36:03,580 ¶ 659 00:36:05,610 --> 00:36:08,620 WILDMAN: It's 1888 in Colorado. 660 00:36:08,620 --> 00:36:11,880 The untamed West offers boundless opportunity 661 00:36:11,890 --> 00:36:14,550 for anyone bold enough to stake their claim. 662 00:36:19,060 --> 00:36:21,460 And one brave frontiersman making his way 663 00:36:21,460 --> 00:36:22,830 in this new territory 664 00:36:22,830 --> 00:36:27,800 is a hard-working cattle rancher named Richard Wetherill. 665 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:29,600 GOFF: Richard Wetherill was self-sufficient, 666 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:32,210 full of grit and loved adventure. 667 00:36:32,210 --> 00:36:36,080 Wetherill actually came to Colorado hoping to find silver. 668 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:38,280 That didn't quite work out, so he turned back 669 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:39,980 to farming and ranching. 670 00:36:43,650 --> 00:36:45,690 WILDMAN: One day, Wetherill notices 671 00:36:45,690 --> 00:36:47,750 that some of his cattle have gone missing, 672 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,760 so he and his brother-in-law, Charles Mason, 673 00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:55,500 set out to find them. 674 00:36:55,500 --> 00:36:59,000 During the search, they head into a remote area 675 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:03,300 and find themselves standing at the lip of a large canyon. 676 00:37:03,310 --> 00:37:06,440 That's when Richard peered out over the canyon 677 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:09,710 and was astonished by what he saw across the way. 678 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:16,450 WILDMAN: Nearly 1,000-feet on the far wall of the ravine, 679 00:37:16,450 --> 00:37:18,790 Wetherill observes a series of dwellings 680 00:37:18,790 --> 00:37:22,520 carved right into the side of the cliff. 681 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:25,690 He saw what he described as windows looking like eyes 682 00:37:25,690 --> 00:37:30,130 peeking out at him, towers, other buildings. 683 00:37:30,130 --> 00:37:32,870 WILDMAN: The structures are nearly three stories high 684 00:37:32,870 --> 00:37:34,370 at their tallest points 685 00:37:34,370 --> 00:37:37,100 and lie beneath the massive rock overhang. 686 00:37:39,470 --> 00:37:41,470 Stunned by the extraordinary find, 687 00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:44,210 the pair decides to investigate, 688 00:37:44,210 --> 00:37:45,680 but reaching the other side 689 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:48,250 of the chasm proves almost impossible. 690 00:37:48,250 --> 00:37:50,320 GOFF: When they looked over the cliff edge to see 691 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:51,880 where they needed to get to, 692 00:37:51,890 --> 00:37:54,190 they recognized that there was no direct route. 693 00:37:54,190 --> 00:37:56,620 It's a straight drop down to the bottom of the canyon. 694 00:37:59,060 --> 00:38:01,360 WILDMAN: Wetherill and Mason determine that the only way 695 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:03,400 to reach these weird buildings 696 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:06,930 is by descending from the overhang directly above them. 697 00:38:06,940 --> 00:38:09,640 So they make their way around the canyon's edge, 698 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:11,570 then, using their lassos, 699 00:38:11,570 --> 00:38:13,810 they bind a series of branches together 700 00:38:13,810 --> 00:38:15,910 to create a makeshift ladder. 701 00:38:15,910 --> 00:38:17,940 Carefully, they climb down. 702 00:38:17,950 --> 00:38:20,110 GOFF: Only 30 feet stood between the men 703 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:22,520 and a revelation of a lifetime. 704 00:38:26,050 --> 00:38:27,950 When they reached the bottom of the ladder, 705 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:30,020 they looked into a city 706 00:38:30,020 --> 00:38:34,190 that appeared as if the people had just left yesterday. 707 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:37,800 WILDMAN: What they discover leaves them in awe. 708 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:41,600 GOFF: They saw walls and rooms and windows. 709 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:45,470 They saw all kinds of artifacts lying on the floor, pottery, 710 00:38:45,470 --> 00:38:48,340 axes, you name it. 711 00:38:48,340 --> 00:38:51,710 WILDMAN: The men explore for hours. 712 00:38:51,710 --> 00:38:55,150 Wetherill decides to give the astonishing ruins a name 713 00:38:55,150 --> 00:38:57,120 befitting its grandeur. 714 00:38:57,120 --> 00:38:59,420 Wetherill named it Cliff Palace. 715 00:39:02,590 --> 00:39:05,930 What Wetherill had seen instilled wonder in him, 716 00:39:05,930 --> 00:39:10,260 and he wanted to share that wonder with others. 717 00:39:10,270 --> 00:39:14,230 WILDMAN: But finding this set of strange edifices is only the beginning. 718 00:39:14,240 --> 00:39:17,640 The question remains, who built them and why? 719 00:39:25,110 --> 00:39:28,680 It's 1888 in southwestern Colorado. 720 00:39:28,680 --> 00:39:31,320 Rancher Richard Wetherill and his brother-in-law 721 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:33,250 are searching for stray cattle 722 00:39:33,260 --> 00:39:36,160 when they stumble across an incredible sight, 723 00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:39,090 what looks like an entire lost city 724 00:39:39,090 --> 00:39:41,790 carved into the side of a canyon. 725 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:45,770 So what secrets are lurking in this ancient metropolis? 726 00:39:48,140 --> 00:39:50,140 Soon after Wetherill's discovery, 727 00:39:50,140 --> 00:39:52,440 archaeologists examine the site. 728 00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:56,180 Excavations reveal that the structures 729 00:39:56,180 --> 00:39:58,110 are more than 1,000 years old 730 00:39:58,110 --> 00:40:00,350 and were once inhabited by ancestors 731 00:40:00,350 --> 00:40:03,920 of Pueblo Indians known as the Anasazi. 732 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:05,290 It's thought these people used 733 00:40:05,290 --> 00:40:07,720 the dramatic landscape as a fortress. 734 00:40:07,720 --> 00:40:11,460 They chose to live in this place for defensive purposes. 735 00:40:11,460 --> 00:40:13,530 They could easily keep out anybody 736 00:40:13,530 --> 00:40:15,660 who was trying to attack their city. 737 00:40:17,970 --> 00:40:20,500 WILDMAN: Further research reveals that the settlement 738 00:40:20,500 --> 00:40:23,800 could've housed upwards of 300 people, 739 00:40:23,810 --> 00:40:28,240 but why the Anasazi abandoned this fortified city is unclear. 740 00:40:30,510 --> 00:40:33,350 In the years that follow, a number of theories emerge 741 00:40:33,350 --> 00:40:34,680 as to why they left. 742 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:37,080 Some historians believe that a massive drought 743 00:40:37,090 --> 00:40:40,990 forced the Anasazi to seek a more suitable environment. 744 00:40:40,990 --> 00:40:43,490 Another theory suggests that the inhabitants 745 00:40:43,490 --> 00:40:45,630 simply outgrew the dwellings. 746 00:40:45,630 --> 00:40:47,330 GOFF: The population had increased, 747 00:40:47,330 --> 00:40:49,630 and there weren't enough resources. 748 00:40:49,630 --> 00:40:53,670 WILDMAN: But further excavation reveals something shocking. 749 00:40:53,670 --> 00:40:55,800 Amid the ruins are found the remains 750 00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:57,940 of more than 30 inhabitants, 751 00:40:57,940 --> 00:41:01,540 all seem to show signs of a violent death. 752 00:41:01,540 --> 00:41:04,780 Historians are left to wonder if the Anasazi's fortress 753 00:41:04,780 --> 00:41:06,250 failed to protect them. 754 00:41:06,250 --> 00:41:09,280 But with no further evidence to solve the problem, 755 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:11,720 the question remains a mystery. 756 00:41:14,460 --> 00:41:18,090 Today, Cliff Palace is a treasured piece of history 757 00:41:18,090 --> 00:41:20,790 and the largest concentration of cliff dwellings 758 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:23,030 ever found in North America. 759 00:41:23,030 --> 00:41:25,330 GOFF: Tourists come from all over the world to see it. 760 00:41:25,330 --> 00:41:28,370 Archaeologists still come to study it. 761 00:41:28,370 --> 00:41:30,700 It is one of the natural wonders of the world. 762 00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:37,880 WILDMAN: This Pueblo sandal found in the palace itself 763 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:40,750 is on display at the History Colorado Center, 764 00:41:40,750 --> 00:41:42,150 a reminder to visitors 765 00:41:42,150 --> 00:41:45,120 that treasures might be right under their feet. 766 00:41:48,520 --> 00:41:53,630 From an underground army to the lost city of Atlantis, 767 00:41:53,630 --> 00:41:55,730 a secret society in a swamp 768 00:41:55,730 --> 00:41:57,800 to a disappearing colony, 769 00:41:57,800 --> 00:41:58,970 I'm Don Wildman, 770 00:41:58,970 --> 00:42:01,670 and these are the mysteries at the museum.